Port Washington Honor Student Achieves All-American Status in the Decathlon at the 2012 USA Track and Field Junior National Olympics
James Burns of
Port Washington (Schreiber High class of 2014), achieved All-American status by medaling in the Intermediate (15-16 year old) Boy’s Decathlon at the 2012 USA Track and Field Junior National Olympics held in Baltimore, MD (July 23-29). Burns scored 5042 points securing the eighth and final medal awarded to the top 8 decathletes in the country in the intermediate boys group.
Burns’ accomplishment was achieved by setting new personal records in 7 of the 10 decathlon events and by besting the two-time returning Region 1 intermediate boy’s decathlon champion. Before June of this year, Burns had never even attempted 5 of the 10 decathlon events (shot put, pole vault, javelin, the discus and 1500 meter run), and as a result, he had to learn and vigorously train them in the weeks before the July Regional and the National Championships.
Burns qualified for the Nationals in both the Decathlon and the 110 high hurdles by winning silver medals and advancing in both intermediate boy’s events at the USA Track and Field Region 1 Championship (Adirondack, Connecticut, Long Island, Maine, New England, New York) held at Mitchell Field, Uniondale (July 6-8). The National Championship was only Burns’ second decathlon. Burns also advanced to the semi-finals in the intermediate boy’s 110 high hurdles at the Nationals.
In addition to being a multi-sport varsity athlete who plays quarterback on the football team in the fall, wrestles in the winter and runs track in the spring, Burns is an Honors/Advanced Placement student maintaining a 4.2 overall GPA.
